Time stamp



B. COOPER Jan. 6, 1942.

TIME STAMP Filed March 31, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet l INYENTO.R

B. COOPER Jan. 6, 1942.

TIME STAMP 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed March 51, 1959 B. COOPER TIME STAMP Filed March 31, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Jan. 6, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIME STAMP Benjamin Cooper, Jersey City, N. J.

Application March 31, 1939, Serial No. 265,291

2 Claims.

This invention relates to time stamps, and is particularly directed to time stamps which are influenced by the insertion of a slip of paper in printing position to automatically actuate the printing mechanism to print information such as the time and date on said paper.

An object of this invention is to provide a highly improved and simplified time stamp of the character described which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture yet rugged and well adapted for severe use.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a time stamp of the character described in which the operating mechanism shall be readily removable from its case without disassembling the same, whereby said mechanism is easily accessible for inspection or repair.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious, and in part be hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the invention hereinafter described and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a time stamp embodying the invention, in operating position, with part of the upper case wall removed to disclose the interior construction;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2 with the upper case swung upwardly;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the type wheel frame;

Fig. 5 is a view of the type wheel operating mechanism;

Fig. 6 is a front elevational View of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of the wheel transfer mechanism;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the type wheel actuating arm;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the ribbon and printing mechanisms; and

Fig. 10 is a side elevational view of the ribbon and printing mechanisms.

Casing Referring now to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, T designates a time stamp comprising a casing C, having a lower case Ill and an upper case IS. The lower case I0 is open at the top and bottom and has side walls II and I2, a front wall l3, and a rear wall ll. The side walls II and I2 each have integral therewith and near the bottom thereof, two inwardly projecting horizontal mounting lugs |5, l6 and I1, l8 respectively, said lugs being formed with vertically tapped holes. The forward portion of walls H and |2 are cut away, forming notches H0. and |2a respectively, into which a sheet of paper, to be stamped, may be inserted.

Fastened to the side walls H and I2 and front wall I3 in any suitable manner is a horizontal plate |3a, projecting outwardly from said walls I, I2 and I3 forming a convenient shelf for guiding papers to be inserted in the notches Ila and I2a. Said shelf |3a is formed with theportion contained within the casing C cut away, so as not to obstruct the opening at the top of lower case Hi.

The upper case I9 has side walls 20 and 2|, a front wall 22, a rear wall 23, and a top wall 2t. The top wall 24 has integral therewith two downwardly extending lugs 24a and 241), having tapped vertical holes therein. Integral with side walls 20 and 2| and adjacent the rear wall 23 are two downwardly extending ears 25 and 26. Also integrally formed with the side wall 20 and extending horizontally inwardly is a locking stud 28.

The upper case I! is positioned on the lower case I0 so that the ears 25 and 26 fit between the side walls H and I2 adjacent the rear wall It. A horizontal shaft 21 rigidly attached to side walls II and I2, extends through aligned holes in ears 25 and 26 so that the upper case I9 is pivotable with respect to the lower case In about said shaft.

Pivotally attached to side wall l2 of lower case III, as at 3Ia, is an arm 3| disposed adjacent the inside face of said side wall. A coil tension spring 3|b connected between the arm 3| and the wall l2 urges said arm in a counter-clockwise direction looking at Fig. 1. Arm 3| is formed with a notch 32 in its upper end. Also attached to side wall l2 and projecting inwardly therefrom is a lock 29 of any suitable type having a rotary barrel 30 disposed so that the key receiving portion is at the outside. Integral with barrel 30, and projecting upwardly perpendicular thereto is a cam 30a, cooperating with the arm 31. The notch 32 is disposed to engage the. stud 28 when the upper case I9 is in normal operating position, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the two case members l0 and I9 are normally locked with respect to each other. By inserting the key into lock 29 and rotating the barrel 30 counter-clockwisely, looking at Fig. 1, the cam 30a pivots arm 3|, causing notch 32 to release the pin 28 and permit theupper case IS'to be pivoted away from the lower case It for inspection ofthe time stamp mechanism, as shown in Fig. 3.

Time wheel unit The printing wheels and their associated driving mechanism are constructed as an integral unit W, disposed in the upper case is and adapted to be removed therefrom as a unit. Unit W comprises a frame F, Fig. 4, having two vertical parallel side plates 33 and 341, parallel to the side walls 2i, 2% of upper case it), and interconnected by studs 35 and 38, screwed to the mounting lugs 254a and 26b. The plates 33 and 3d are fur ther fastened together near their lower edge by studs 36 and 31. A motor mounting plate it, parallel to and disposed between said side plates 33, 36 is fixed thereto by studs M, 412 and supported on stud 8t. 7

The plate 33 is formed with a cutaway portion 33a extending upwardly from the bottom edge mediately the ends of said plate. The plates 3 and 38 are formed with corresponding cutaway portions 34a. and 60a so that there is provided in frame F, extending upwardly from the bottom thereof an open, unobstructed space we for purposes hereinafter appearing.

The frame F is disposed in the upper case is so, that the side plates 33 and 3d are spaced away fromthe side walls 2i and 29, Fig. 2, and the front edges of said plates are spaced back from the front wall 22, Fig. 3. There is thus provided, for purposes hereinafter appearing, an unobstructed space between the frame F and the side walls 2B, 2! and the front wall 22 of the upper case it.

Mounted on and between the plates 35, 36 is a transverse horizontal shaft 56 located between the cut-out portions 33a, 35a and the front edge of said plates, and somewhat above and between the studs 36, 37. The shaft carries eight rotary type wheels 45, 55, M, d8, d9, 56, 55 and 52. I

I'he wheels and d5 indicate the minutes, wheel 4'! the hour, wheel 45 the a. m. and p. m, wheels 49 and 50 the date, wheel M the month, and wheel 52 the year, all of said wheels being of usual construction and provided with the necessary numbers or letters on their circumferential face,

as indicated in Fig. 6. Each of the wheels 65, I

45, M, 48, 49 and 50 has rigidly mounted on one face thereof a coaxial ratchet wheel 53, having one or more notches 55, as shown in Figs. 5 and '7. Wheels SI and 52 each have concentrically attached thereto a ratchet wheel 55, said ratchet wheels not being provided with any notches.

A shaft 56 parallel to the shaft 418 and also connected between the side plates 35 and 35 has pivotally mounted thereon eight pawls 5?, one for each type wheel, said pawls cooperating with ratchets 53 and 55 to prevent reverse or clockwise rotation of the type wheels, looking at Fig. 5. Each pawl 51 is spring pressed into engagement with its respective ratchet by a spring 58, attached between said pawl and a shaft 59, parallel to shaft 64 and disposed between the side plates 33 and 36. Also pivotally mounted on shaft M is a 'U-shaped yoke 78 comprising side arms 65 and M and a top connecting arm 52. Rigidly atgers are constructed in stepped arrangement so that the finger 88 is slightly longer than the finger 6i, finger 57 is slighty longer than finger 88, and so forth. The wheel advancing unit 65 is spring pressed by a coil spring 52 so that the fingers are urged to engage the ratchet wheels 53.

On plate 46 is mounted a clock motor E3 of any suitable construction having an output shaft 13c extending through an aperture in said plate. Rigidly attached to said shaft is a cam it having a spiral edge ltd and a radial edge Nb. Mounted between plates it and 35 is a transverse shaft 15 to which is pivoted an arm it having a pair of parallel arms 88, 8t carrying a roller 82 maintained in contact with cam 74 by spring 8d which interconnects said arm with the frame F. Arm it is formed with a forwardly projecting finger it above the roller $2 to prevent the roller from striking the point No of the cam at the end of the spiral edge. A link 83 connects a stud it on arm it with ear 55 on yoke 18.

Motor l8 rotates cam 56 one complete revolution each minute in a counter-clockwise direc-.

tion, looking at Fig. 5. The roller 82 being pressed into engagement with said cam rides on the spiral edge 7 3a thereof. As said cam rotates, am it is pivoted clockwisely, looking at Fig. 5, against the tension of spring 84 to pull link 88 for rotating yoke it clockwisely about shaft it. When the point Me of the cam passes finger ll, arm 56 is returned counter- -clockwisely by the spring 86 until said arm is restrained by a stop 35 on plate it. Said stop may have a flexible sheath 8t thereabout to absorb the shock. Link 53 is consequently moved to the left rocking the type advancing unit 55 about shaft 86 in a counterclockwise direction, looking at Fig. 5, to advance the type wheels in the well known manner.

The month wheel 5i and the year wheel 52 may be advanced manually, by using a stylus on the ratchet wheel 55 associated with each wheel.

Printing mechanism Means is provided for printing the data indicated on the type wheels automatically, upon inserting a sheet of paper into the notches Ha, Ha. To this end there is mounted within case iii, a frame P, Figs. 3 and 9, which carries mechanism M for moving a platen m5, on which the paper inserted into the notches Ha, I20 rests, upwardly toward the type wheels; and ribbon feed mechanism R for feeding a printing ribbon 828 located below the type wheels, to print the data of the type wheels onto the inserted sheet of paper.

Frame P comprises a pair of substantially similar plates at, 9B, rigidly interconnected by crossbars 92, 93, and Q4, and formed at their lower ends with outwardly extending apertured ears 95, 95, 97 and 9t engaging the studs i5, i5 and El, E8 of lower case it), and attached thereto by screws or in any other suitable manner.

The plates t5 and 9! are parallel to the side walls H and B2 of the lower case it and project above said case, the upper portions of said plates extending into the upper case is, and disposed between the plates 33, 3 5 of frame W, and the side walls 2 l, 2d of said upper case, Figs. 1 and 2.

The lower portions of the plates 98, 9t, disposed within the lower case, are designated by numerals b and Mb. The upper portions of said plates, disposed in the upper case, are designated by numerals 90a, Sta. Said plates are formed with notches 98c and 9 lo, located between said portions and registering with the notches No, In of case I0, to permit the paper to be stamped, to be inserted into said notches.

Rigidly interconnected between the lower portions 80b and 8Ib of plates 90 and 9| and serving as a further mechanical brace, is a U-shaped solenoid frame 99. The frame 99 comprises a horizontal top and bottom walls I00, III formed with vertically aligned openings, and a vertical wall I02 connecting said horizontal walls.

Slidably received in the vertically aligned holes in the solenoid frame members I and IOI is a solenoid plunger I08 carrying the printing platen I at its upper end provided with a printing pad I08. At the lower end of the plunger is a slot I20. Platen I05 has a rearwardly extending lug I08 and a downwardly extending pin I01 slidably received in a guide hole I08 in the top wall I00 of solenoid frame 99. surrounding said plunger I00 is a solenoid coil I00.

, Mounted on vertical wall I02, and insulated therefrom and from each other, are a rigid contact arm I I0, a spring contact arm III; Fixed to said wall and insulated therefrom is a stop II2 against which said spring arm I I I normally rests. Pivotally mounted to vertical wall I82, as at I I3a, is a lever II3 having at its upper end a serrated edge H5. The arm II! is tensioned by a spring IIO so that the edge II5 normally rests on the lug I09 of platen I05 as shown in Fig, 10. At the bottom end of said lever is pivotally connected, as at Go, a lever II5 mad of insulation having thereon a projection II1. Said projection H1 is normally positioned to engage the contact arm III. as shown in Fig. 10. Pivotally connected to side plate 90, as at H8, is a bell crank II9 having an upwardly extending arm I20 and a horizontal arm I2I. Arm I2I has integral therewith an inwardly extending stud I22 adapted to cooperate with the lever III; in a manner to be hereinafter explained. At the end of said arm I2I is a ball joint I23 slidably received in slot I20 in the plunger I03. The arm I20 has at its upper end a pin I25. Also pivoted to side plate 90, as at I55, is a lever I55 having at its bottom end a slot I51, slidably receiving the pin I25. The coil I00 is connected to a suitable source of power through the contacts H0 and III.

When a sheet of paper is inserted between the type wheels and the platen, the forward edge of said paper engages the serrated edge II5 of the lever II3 rocking said lever counter-clockwisely, looking at Fig. 10, so that the edge H5 thereof moves away from the lug I09. The lever H3 is balanced so as to require a very small pressure for its rotation. The insulation lever H5 is moved to the right and projection I I1 moves contact I I I into engagement with contact I I0 thereby exciting the solenoid coil I00 for moving the platen I05 upwardly. As the platen rises the lug I09 having been released from under the serrated edge I I5 engages said edge maintaining lever III in its tensioned position during the entire travel of the platen. Thus, the circuit for excitation of the solenoid, after having been closed by the insertion of the paper, becomes thereafter independent of the continued pressure of the paper against lever I I8.

Furthermore, the rear upper edge of ear I09 has a cammed surface I09a, engaging the edge H5 and causing arm II3, after having been rocked by the sheet of paper, to be pivoted an additional amount for applying a substantial pressure to the spring contact arm I I I and causing a firm contact between said contact arm and the arm IIO. It is seen, therefore, that although a slight pressure of the paper is sufficient to initiate excitation of coil I00, the subsequent motion of platen I05 applies a substantial contact pressure to the arms IIO, III eliminating any tendency toward sparking or fluttering which would produce insufficient energization of coil I00 and result in a light print.

As platen I05 rises bell crank I20 is pivoted counter-clockwisely, looking at Fig. 10, moving stud I22 upwardly. Just as the platen is about to press the paper against the type wheels, lug I22 engages lever II 8 rocking said lever clockwisely about its pivot point I I. Projection II1 thereupon releases contact II I allowing said contact to return to normal position, and breaking the circuit for excitation of the solenoid coil. Thus, the platen is automatically released after each printing.

Ribbon mechanism Th ribbon feed mechanism R, Fig. 9, comprises two ribbon rollers I26 and I21 journalled on and between the side plates and 9I, and the printing ribbon I28 passes from the roll I28 under the studs 93 and 90 to the roll I21. The roll I21 is received in the space I9a in frame F whereas roll I26 fits into the space between the front end of said frame and the front wall 22 of cas I9.

Means is provided to advance the ribbon after each print. To this end there is attached to the rolls I26, I21 and disposed adjacent the outside face of side wall 90, ratchets I29 and I30 respectively. Mounted on plate 90 are a pair of inwardly extending guide studs I30 and I35. Slidably mounted on said studs is a T-shaped member I3I having slots I32, I33 to receive said studs. Member I3I has a central downwardly extending leg I3Ib and carries a horizontal pivot pin I35 extending through a horizontal slot I361: in'plate 90.

Means is provided to horizontally reciprocate the T-shaped member I3I as the plunger I03 is vertically reciprocated. To this end there is fixed to the lug I3 lb of the T-shaped member I3I, a stud I31 passing through a horizontal slot I31a in the plate 90 and projecting outwardly through said plate. Interconnecting the upper end of the lever I55 with said stud I31 is a downwardly curved link I, disposed adjacent the outside face of plate 90.

It will now be understood that as the plunger reciprocates up and down, levers I I9 and I55 will be oscillated about their pivotal points to cause the T-shaped member I3I to be horizontally reciprocated.

Means is provided to unwind the ribbon I28 from one of the rolls onto the second roll a predetermined amount for each printing operation, until said second roll is wound up to a predetermined extent, and then to automatically reverse th operation to unwind the ribbon from said second roll onto the first roll a predetermined length for each printing operation, and then again to reverse the ribbon feeding operation when said first roll is wound up to a predetermined extent. To this end, there is pivoted to the pivotgpin I35, a pawl arm I38 located on the outside of the plate 90 and provided with a pair of downwardly extending, symmetrical pawls I09 and I 00, one on either end. One of said pawls is adapted to cooperate with the ratchet I 29, and the other pawl with the ratchet I30. The pawl member I98 has a central upwardly extending apertured ear I38a.

There is further pivoted to the pin I 35, a memher 9, the upper end whereof is connected to the ear |38a by a coil tension spring i519. The pivoted member I49 is also connected by a coil tension spring IE! to the lower end of the leg l3! b. The spring I5! serves to rotate the member M9 to inclined position on either one side or the other of the vertical. Stop pins I360 serve to limit the angular movement of member 659. When member M9 is pivoted in one direction by spring Hi, the spring I50 urges the pawl member 438 to pivot in the same direction to retain one of the pawl members E39, M in engagement with one of the ratchet wheels I29, E30.

When the reversing mechanism R is positioned, as shown in the drawings, with the pawl member Mil in engagement with the ratchet I38, the ribbon l28 will be unwound from the roll E26 and be wound on the roll i2! each time the platen 805 is raised. As the time stamp is operated, reciprocation of the plunger Hi3 will cause reciprocation of the T-shaped member I38, as described above. Reciprocation of the T-shaped member l3l will cause reciprocation of the pawl member H38 with the pawl i413 engaging the teeth of the ratchet i3fi, to rotate the roll I27 for winding the ribbon B28 onto said roll and unwinding the ribbon from the other roll 26.

Means is provided to rotate the member M9 about the pin I36 to the other side of the vertical, whereby the pawl member H8 is also pivoted by spring I50 about said pivoted pin to disengage the pawl ldt from the ratchet l3!) and to cause the pawl E39 to engage the ratchet l29. To this end, there is pivoted on aligned pins M2, on the frame walls 90, 9!, a U-shaped member Md having one side arm M ll) formed with a projection M40 normally disposed below the lower end of a projection M911 on pivot arm Hi9. On the yoke M4 is a plate l l ia normally tensioned against the roll of ribbon E26 by a spring M ld. As the roll 826 is unwound and decreases in diameter, the yoke MB will pivot in a counterclockwise direction, looking at Fig. 9 of the drawmgs.

There is also pivoted on aligned studs I63 on frame walls 90, 9!, a yoke M5 similar and symmetrically disposed with respect to the yoke it, and having a side arm M52) adjacent the frame wall 90 and formed with a projecting finger H350 likewise normally below the projection M90: on the arm M9.

On yoke M5 is a plate M511, normally urged to contact the top of the roll 62? by torsion spring M511. As the roll I2? is wound up and increases in thickness, the finger M50 will be brought further below the lug Miller. as the roll 52'! winds up, the roll (I26 will be unwound and reduced in diameter causing the finger Mac to rise into the path of the lug M911. The T-shaped member l3l may reciprocate without being afiected by the yokes M 8, M35 until the roll H8 is unwound to a predetermined ex tent, at which time the finger Hide will be in the path of the lug M911 and cause the member M9 to be pivoted about the pin I36 from the position shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, to the opposite inclination. The pawl member E38 is simultaneously oscillated, thereby releasing ratchet E30 and engaging pawl I39 with ratchet i29. Further operation of the time stamp will then cause the roll I26 to .be wound and the roll l2? to be unwound, and the ribbon is then fed in an opposite direction. When roll I21 has become unwound, the edge M50 will again re- However,

verse the pawl arm I38 causing spool [21 to be wound up again.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, it is seen that when the upper case lB'is in operating position with respect to the lower case it, the forward portion of frame F, carrying the type wheels, telescopes into the space enclosed within the wall 90, 9! of frame P, and the ribbon rolls I26, I27, so that the printing platen N35 is directly beneath the type wheels, and the ribbon in is between said platen and said wheel. The ribbon mechanism B, being completely assembled on side plate 98 fits into the space between the wall 3 of frame F and the side wall 20 of upper case 89, as shown in Fig. 2. The arm 32 looks the upper case l9 against the lower case it, so that the impact of the platen against the wheels, upon printing, does not swing said wheels upwardly. It is further seen that, except for arm 32, there is no mechanical connection between the frame F in upper case l9 and the frame P in lower case ill, permitting said upper case to be readily pivoted upwardly without disassembling any of the time stamp mechanism.

It will thus be seen that there i provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment above set iorth, it is to be understood that all matter herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted a illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1,. In a time stamp, a lower case, an upper case pivotally connected thereto, a printing type mechanism and a type mechanism advancing means wholly mounted in said upper case, whereby said type mechanism advancing means is operative when said upper case is swung away from the lower case, as well as when the upper case is in operative relation to the lower case, a printing platen and means for moving the same mounted in said lower case, a printing ribbon and printing ribbon advancing means supported by said lower case and projecting thereabove into the upper case, the printing ribbon being located beneath the type wheels and above the platen when the upper case is in operative position on the lower case, said type mechanism and type mechanism advancing means constituting a unit removable as a whole from the upper case, and the printing platen, moving means, printing ribbon and advancing means constituting a unit removable as a whole from the lower case.

2. A time stamp comprising a lower case open at the top, and an upper case hinged at its rear lower end to the upper rear end of the lower case, said upper case being open at the bottom, a support detachably secured within said upper case, type mechanism and type mechanism advancing means, including a clock motor, wholly mounted on said support and constituting a unit together with said support, said unit being removable as a whole upon detaching said support from said upper case through the lower open end of the upper case, a support detachably secured within said lower case, a printing platen and means for operating the same mounted on said second mentioned support, said second support projecting up through the upper open end of the lower case into the lower open end of the upper case, printing ribbon advancing mean; mmmted on the proiecting portion 0! said second support. and said second support together with the printing platen. operating means and ribbon advancing means, beingremovableasaunitthrouahtheupper open end 0! the lower casing. upon detaching said second support from said lower easing, said type advancing means being operative by means of the motor when said upper case is swung away from the lower case, as well as when the upper ease is in operative relation with the 6 lower case.

BENJAMIN COOPER. 

